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Winnipeg Sun

ST. PAUL, MINN. - Several boys on the bubble came up big for the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday night.

With the Jets down to 37 players left in training camp and significant work left in order to get down to 23, several guys fighting for roster spots came up with big efforts.

Eric O’Dell, Patrice Cormier and Paul Postma scored second-period goals as the Winnipeg Jets erased a two-goal deficit but ultimately fell 4-3 in a shootout to the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center.

Jason Pominville scored the lone goal of the shootout but it was enough to propel the Wild to victory, as Niklas Backstrom stopped Blake Wheeler, Andrew Ladd and Bryan Little.

The Jets, now 1-2-2 during the pre-season, are back in action on Monday night against the Edmonton Oilers at Rexall Place.

The Jets came out strong, but the Wild turned the tables and took a 2-0 lead before the first period had come to a close.

Brandon product Carson McMillan opened the scoring at 6:34, utilizing a perfect screen by Zenon Konopka (who was tied up in front by Jets defenceman Mark Stuart) and slipping his shot past Ondrej Pavelec.

The second Wild goal saw Keith Ballard take a point shot that was redirected off the skate of Wild forward Justin Fontaine and right onto the stick of Charlie Coyle, who scored his second goal in as many games against the Jets.

Just when it looked like the Wild might run away with this one, the Jets got on the board at 7:17 of the second period as Little made a beautiful pass on the backdoor to O’Dell for a power-play marker.

O’Dell, who led the St. John’s IceCaps of the American Hockey League in scoring last season, is among the group of guys battling for one of the open forward spots and he added an assist for a tow-point night.

Cormier evened the score at 16:22, jumping on a loose puck, with Backstrom down and out.

The Jets added their second power-play goal of the contest with 17.7 seconds left in the frame when Postma blasted a one-timer from the left point past Backstrom.

Ryan Suter tied the game at 11:41 of the third, burying a one-timer of his own after a slick, cross-ice dish from Zach Parise.

Rookie blue-liner Jacob Trouba had another strong effort for the Jets, picking up an assist in more than 25 minutes of ice time while playing mostly on a pairing with Toby Enstrom.

Jets defenceman Dustin Byfuglien went crashing into the boards during the first period and had his leg looked at, but missed only a few shifts and was quite involved.

Pavelec, making his second start of the pre-season, finished with 33 saves for the Jets.